Nurturing Global Mindsets
A total of 43 third-year NIE student teachers attended their semester exchange in August 2017. NIEWS caught up with three of them to find out how an immersive experience in the rich and diverse cultures of their host universities has helped to nurture a global mindset towards learning.
“It was an enriching three months for me at the Peking University. Living abroad has allowed me to expand my world-view through interactions with people from different cultures and walks of life. Among the many exciting encounters during the trip, the one I was most impressed with is the prevalence of cashless payment modes in China. I got to see how technology has revolutionised the way day-to-day transactions are done, and that’s a truly eye-opening experience. All in all, I am very grateful for the opportunity to go for my semester exchange at Peking University!” (Image 1)
Kai Jing
BA (Ed) (Pri), Majoring in Chinese Language
“My time at the University of Bern was a unique, valuable and rewarding one. Even though the exchange took place within one short semester, I feel like I have lived, learnt and grown so much. Being away in a completely different education system and culture helped me to gain more self-confidence. It also taught me to be more appreciative of what I have back home. I got to experience independence on a whole new level, and especially enjoyed the freedom to venture outside my comfort zone and learn new things every day. I wouldn’t replace this opportunity with any other experience – a definite ‘must-do’ before graduation.” (Image 2)
Syahiratul Wathiqah Binte Wathrus Shurul
BA (Ed) (Pri), Majoring in Malay Language
“My semester exchange at the University of Surrey was an exciting and fulfilling one. Studying here provided me the opportunity to acquire deeper knowledge on various topic areas. I was also able to gain exposure to an array of teaching styles by different professors. The campus environment was particularly conducive as well, with plenty of studying spaces and facilities to encourage learning. Overall, I enjoyed my time here and am thankful for this opportunity.” (Image 3)
Andre Ng
BA (Ed) (Sec), Majoring in Music
